Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer invested more on political marketing in the last fiscal year than the two significant parties combined, contribution records show.


Mr Palmer's Mineralogy pumped nearly $53 million into last May's federal election, according to Australian Electoral Commission data launched on Monday.


The mining outfit spent practically $200 million on all its political campaigning in the 2024/25 financial year, however the billionaire stopped working to get any candidates from his Trumpet of Patriots party chosen.


The Labor Party and all its state and territory branches received more than $150 million in the monetary year and spent practically $160 million.


The then-coalition, that included Liberal and National state branches along with a joint branch in Queensland and the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory, got more than $220 million and invested practically $215 million.


The Greens received nearly $36 million and invested more than $40 million while One Nation got and spent simply over $3.3 million.


The AEC information doesn't different major-party spending for the year and the election as it provides for 3rd parties.


Conservative advocacy clothing Advance Australia spent more than $10 million on the election and made $13.5 million in political payments.


Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting pumped nearly $900,000 into Advance in a year.


Progressive advocacy group GetUp raised concerns about rich donors propping up right-wing campaign clothing like Advance, which declared to be a grassroots movement.


The Australian Education Union invested $5.5 million on the election, the Australian Council of Trade Unions nearly $5.5 million, the mining and energy union $3.8 million and the United Workers Union $1.5 million.


Progressive financing lorry Climate 200, which backs independent candidates, invested $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, established to campaign against the teal independents, spent more than $1.2 million.


Labor protected a huge majority with 94 lower home seats, while the union slipped to 43.


2024-25 financial disclosure returns are now reside on the Transparency Registerhttps:// t.co/ A6LbFXu2WH https://t.co/rqe1khhIVk


- AEC (@AusElectoralCom) February 1, 2026


The federal election was the last to feature uncapped costs and contributions before reforms, consisting of costs caps, entered effect in mid-2026.


Major celebrations will just be able to invest $90 million on elections across the country while third-party groups will be restricted to $11 million.


The Australia Institute criticised the ramped-up money splashes and while director Bill Browne welcomed election reforms, he said they didn't go far enough as there were loopholes that implied money payments to major celebrations might go unnoticed.


This implied Australians would be left in the dark about who was purchasing access to political leaders, he stated.


"Even with enhanced contribution disclosure rules, there will be cash-for-access payments that Australians never ever discover out about," he said.


Greens democracy spokesperson Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking cash from fossil fuel, gambling and pharmaceutical companies along with the significant banks, connecting an absence of policy action to the companies' impact over the government.


SportsBet, Tabcorp and betting lobby Responsible Wagering Australia provided a combined $166,500 to Labor and $92,500 to the Liberals.


Major donors largely hedged their bets between Labor and the coalition.


Pratt Holdings, led by billionaire business person Anthony Pratt, provided Labor $2 million and the Liberal Party $1 million.


Meriton gave Labor $100,000 and the Liberals $500,000 while the Pharmacy Guild provided Labor $245,000 and the union $73,000.


Oryxium, an investment firm linked to business person Frank Lowy, contributed $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash provided the celebration $780,000.


The food shipment business also provided $124,000 to Labor.


Fox Group, headed by trucking giant and billionaire Lindsay Fox, gave the Liberals $500,000 and the Labor Party practically $540,000.


Mining company Adani gave $640,000 to the Liberals, while Hancock Prospecting gave the branch $105,000.